Calculating machine



Nov. 10, 1936. J. A. v TURCK CALCULATING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed July 31, 1923 Zhwentor J05PH /4. I! 7Z/RcK.

M a attorney 1936. J. A. v. TURCK CALCULATING MACHINE Original Filed July 31, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zhmentor fist-PH A. V EEC/c.

: dttorneg 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 maentor 1/05EP/1' A M Ema 1936. J. A. v. TURCK CALCULATING MACHINE Original Filed July 31, 1923 Patented Nov. 10, 1936 CALCULATING MACHINE Joseph A. V. Turck, Wilmette, Ill., assignor to Felt & Tarrant Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Original application July 31, 1923, Serial No. 654,874. Divided and this application July 1, 1932, Serial N0. 620,505

6 Claims. (Cl. 235-27) This invention relates in general to improvements in calculating machines and more particularly to improvements in ordinal locking mechanism whereby the ordinal actuating mechanism may be selectively operated by key-drive or keyset power drive. The present application relates especially to the ordinal locking mechanism disclosed in my copending parent application Ser. No. 654,874, filed July 31, 1923, now Patent No. 1,869,872, dated August 2, 1932, of which this application is a division.

Briefly stated, the machine of the present invention includes in its construction the following features or any one or combination of them, ordinal column actuating mechanism alternatively operable by ordinal key-drive or by key-set power, in the present instance crank, drive; a manually-controlled device for determining the char-- acter of drive of the column actuators; a power mechanism for driving the column actuators in key-set power-driven actuation; ordinal keys for driving the column actuators in key-driven operation or for setting said actuators for power driven actuation.

The invention provides the further feature of providing a permanent connection of all of the actuators with the power drive while yet permitting key-driven operation or key-set operation of any selected actuator.

In addition to the general objects recited above the invention has for further objects such other improvements or advantages in construction or operation as may be found to obtain in the structures and devices hereinafter described or claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and showing, for purposes of exemplification, a preferred form and manner in which the invention may be embodied and practiced, but without limiting the claimed invention specifically to such illustrative instance or instances:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a part of a calculating machine constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a left hand side elevation of the machine showing a part of the side casing plate broken away to illustrate part of the power drive;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of the machine and showing the parts of the actuating mechanism in normal position; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively fragmentary perspective, and transverse sectional views showing the column actuator locking mechanism and the control keys whereby the locking mechanism may.

be variously released or set. In Fig. 5, the view is towards the front of the machine.

As the present invention may be used with various types of calculating machines, and as the general construction may be readily understood by reference to my copending parent application, Ser. No. 654,874, a brief description of the general features of this machine will be sufflcient for an understanding of the present invention. The same reference characters used in said application will be used herein to designate the same parts. Figs. 1 to 5 are identical copies of Figs. 1, 4, 5, 9 and 10, respectively of said application.

The various instrumentalities, which constitute the actuating mechanism from which calculative motion is transmitted to the accumulator mechanism, are supported by a frame mounted on the base 2| of an enclosing casing, said frame consisting essentially of side skeleton plates 22 and intermediate skeleton plates 23 disposed between the various actuating mechanism of the several orders of the machine, and all tied together at suitable points by transverse tie rods 24. The various orders of the actuating mechanism are stationary", i. e., there is no shift from order to order of the actuating mechanism. In performing multiple-stroke key-set power-driven calculation, shifting is effected by the carriage which supports the accumulator mechanism, as hereinafter described.

According to the present type of machine, a number of columns of nine keys each are provided, a column for each order of the machine. Each column of keys 25 corresponds with the column actuator and attendant partsand constitutes a mechanism either for driving the column actuator an amount proportionate to the digital value of the particular key operated or for setting and controlling the column actuator to be otherwise driven a like amount. The keys of each column are numbered from 1" to 9" and complementally for negative calculation from "0 to 8 in front to rear order of the machine the key at the extreme front is adapted to effect or otherwise to control operation of the column actuator through an are substantially one-ninth of that produced by the operation of the key at the extreme rear of the machine, and upon depression of intermediately positioned keys, the column actuator is or may be moved through various arcs respectively determined by the digital value of the. intermediate keys depressed.

Each key 25 is provided with a stem 26 extend- 55 ing down and bearing upon the corresponding column actuator 21 for the key-driven actuation of the machine. Spring mechanisms 23 similar to those employed in the well-known "Comptometer" are utilized for the purpose of restoring the respective keys 25 to normal independently of the column actuator.

There is a column actuator 21 for each column of nine keys of the machine, and each column actuator is preferably constructed in the form of a bell-crank lever having a long horizontal arm 23, a relatively short depending vertical arm 30, and being pivoted at the junction point of said arms to the framework at the rear of the machine, as shown at 3|. The horizontal arm 23 of the column actuator extends forwardly from rear to front of the machine and receives the key-impulse to actuate the accumulator, when the machine is set for key-driven actuation. Pivoted at 32 on a fixed shaft extending through and supported by the framework of the machine is an actuator sector 33 for transmitting the calculative motion of the column actuator to the accumulator. The pivoted sector 33 is provided with a set of gear teeth 33 on its arcuate periphery and said teeth are adapted to mesh with ordinal gears ill forming part of the ratchet mechanisms. Motion produced by the normal movement of the column actuator is transmitted to the pivoted sector 33 by an abutment 35 at the end of a double-arm lever 35a pivoted on the hub of the sector 33 concentrically with shaft 32 and connected with the column actuator by a .link 35b. The abutment 35 is normally held in engagement with the rear radial edge 35 of the sector by a spring 3'! connecting the forward radial arm 38 of said sector with said abutment 35. So long as any key 25 is depressed only that amount necessary to effect a movement of the sector 33 corresponding with the digital value of the key, the spring 31, during the downward movement of the column actuator arm 29, will hold the sector 33 against the abutment 35. If, however, the key be depressed beyond such normal movement the sector 33 will be arrested, and will be prevented from moving more than the amount of the digital value of the particular key depressed, by the engagement of the respective digital stop I09. of the stop bar 105 that is connected with said sector, with the particular key depressed, but the spring 31 will permit the abutment 35 to move, with a yielding action, away from the sector 33 as the column actuator arm 23 continues to move downwardly.

In key-driven actuation, the column actuators are restored to normal position, i. e., the horizontal arms 29 of said actuators are lifted, respectlvely by the key-driven functioning member of the corresponding dual flexible link mechanism.

The universal actuator 39 functions as an abutment for causing the spring-tensioning that effects the return movement of the column actuators in key-driven actuation. It comprises a power-driven oscillatory shaft 40 extending transversely of the main frame. Fixed to said shaft 40 so as to partake of its oscillatory movement are the universal actuator plate members II which correspond ordinally with the column actuators 21. It is particularly these plate members ll which constitute the abutments for the spring tensionlng hereinafter referred to.

The dual flexible mechanism of each column actuator and corresponding universal actuator spec roe plate comprises an upper link mechanism 42 and a lower link mechanism 43.

In key-driven operation, on depression of the numeral key 25, the horizontal column actuator arm 29 moves downwardly an amount proportional with the digital value of the key depressed. This movement of the column actuator turns the transmitting gear sector 33 in a counter-clockwise direction the required amount for the incremental accumulative actuation, which occurs on the reverse clockwise rotation of the sector 33. The downward movement of the horizontal column actuator arm 29 causes a rearward movement of the depending column actuator arm 33 and this rearward movement of said arm 35 stretches or tensions the spring 43 to produce power for the return movement of the column actuator, inasmuch as the ram 35 remains stationary, In this manner, the spring 34 of the flexible link mechanism functions as the return spring for the column actuator in key-driven actuation. In all forms of calculative actuation, it is the upward return movement of the transmitting gear or adding sectors 33 that, effects the actual transfer of incremental ordinal accumulation to the accumulator mechanism, namely, the adding actuation. This is effected by an ordinal internal ratchet mechanism, operating in like mannor to that shown and described in the Comptometer patents hereinbefore mentioned in my parent application.

In key-set power-driven actuation, the de- PI'CSSlOIfl of any ordinal numeral key merely releases or unlocks the column actuator corresponding to its order for subsequent calculative movement by the power mechanism, the operation of a numeral key being a mere unlocking of an ordinal locking device corresponding to the order in which the key is depressed, as contra-distinuished from an actual calculative movement produced by key operation in key-driven actuation of the machine. When the machine is set to operate in key-set power-driven actuation, the column actuators in all orders of the machine are locked against movement by an ordinal locking mechanism and only those column actuators are operated which have been released by a setting of one of the corresponding ordinal keys. The oscillatory movement of the universal actuator plates ll is employed first to depress and then elevate those column actuators which have been released from the ordinal locking mechanism by previous numeral key setting.

In the present embodiment of the invention, such oscillatory movement of the universal actuator is effected by a crank mechanism, see Figs. 2 and 4. The crank 56 is mounted on the outside of the right-hand vertical casing plate at the end of a power shaft 51 which it rotates. The power shaft 51 extends transversely through the supporting frame of the machine and is provided at its left-hand end, see Fig. 2, with a crank 58 on which is pivoted eccentrically to the axis of shaft 51 the forward end of a pitman 53. The pitman 59 extends rearwardly of the machine and is pivoted at its rear end to an oscillatory arm 30 secured to the left-hand end of the shaft 40. The connections in the above described universal actuator train are so proportioned relatively to each, other that each single rotation of the crank 56, in either direction, will impart first a clockwise and next a counter-clockwise movement to the universal actuator shaft 40 and the series of ordinal actuator plates ll. In other words, each single rotation of the crank 56 is accompanied by a downward and upward oscillation of the universal actuator plates. In key-set actuation, each single oscillation of said plates 4| effects a single incremental accumulative movement of the selected column actuators.

The ordinal locking mechanism for preventing actuation of the column actuators by the universal actuator, in power-driven operation, is shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5. Extending transversely of and supported by the framework is a bar 66 which constitutes the support for the ordinal locks 61. These locks 61 are respectively pivotally mounted at 68 on said bar 66 and their upper free ends are provided with looking notches 69 which are projected beneath the horizontal arms 29 of the column actuators to prevent depression thereof, whenever the locks 61 have been shifted pivotally toward the left of the machine, (towards the right as seen in Fig. 5), by setting the machine for power-driven operation. Each ordinal lock 61 is controlled individually by its corresponding ordinal lock control bar 18. These bars 18 extend from front to rear in the various orders of the machine and are loosely supported by front and rear rods II and 12, which permit the bars to be swung individually or in unison on axes parallel with their length. Each bar 18 is provided with a depending arm 13 the lower end of which has a pin 14, which works in a slot 160, in the corresponding ordinal column actuator lock. When the lower edges of the respective bars 18 are swung in unison toward the right, in a counter-clockwise direction by the mechanism for setting the machine for powerdriven operation, the several locks 61, through the connections 13, will be swung toward the right in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 5) to move the locking notches 69 into engagement with the column actuator arms 29.- For this purpose each control bar 18 is provided with a depending arm 15 (see Fig. 4) provided with a slot 16 that receives the grooved. portion 11 of a shift rod 18 extending transversely of the framework. The shift rod 18 is engaged at its left-hand end by the upper end of a rocker arm 19. The lower end of said rocker arm is pivoted at on a transverse supporting bar 8|. Projecting rearwardly from the upper end of the rocker arm 19 is a roller 82 which forms the abutment for shifting the rocker arm 19 either toward the right or toward the left of the machine, in response to operation of the control key 83. The control key 83' is designated key drive and is pr6vided below the top casing plate with a notch 84 that loosely receives the rear end of a walking beam 85. The center of the walking beam 85 is pivoted at 86 to the side skeleton plate of the framework and the front end of said beam is loosely mounted within a similar notch 81 in the crank drive control key 88. The notches 84 and 81 are so located in the respective control keys 83 and 88 that the walking beam 85 will elevate one key as the other is depressed. (The "keydrive control key 83' is provided with an upper notch 89 and a lower notch 98 (Fig. 4) so located that when the crank drive control key 88 is depressed the notch 90 is in engagement with the roller 82 on the upper end of the rocker arm 19, and when the key drive control key 83 is depressed the upper notch 89 is in engagement with the roller 82. As shown in Fig. 9, the upper notch 89 is located farther toward the right of the machine than the lower notch 98. When the crank drive control key is depressed and the key drive control key is concurrently elevated, the positioning of the notch 98 in registry with the roller 82 permits the several control bars to move toward the left of the machine (or toward the right as viewed in Fig. 5) to shift the several ordinal locks 61 into locking positions. This movement of the control bars I8 is accomplished-by springs 9| encircling the supporting rods 1| and 12 in the various orders of the machine between each control bar and the corresponding ordinal skeleton plate and bearing on the control bars in such manner as to push their depending arms 13 toward the left of the machine, i. e. toward the righthand side of Fig. 5, to effect the movement of the several ordinal locks 61 into column actuator locking positions. On the other hand when the key drive key 83 is depressed the upper notch 89 is brought into registry'with the roller 82, and such movement of the key 83 causes the rocker arm 19 to move toward the right of the machine, with the result that the rod 18 is likewise moved toward the right. This movement of the rod 18 is transmitted to the several control bars Ill in unison through the arms 15, thereby shifting the connecting arms I3 in unison toward the right of the machine (1. e., toward the left-hand of Fig. 5) to shift all the ordinal locks 61 into inoperative positions. The last described operation effected by depression of the key 83 sets the machine for key-driven actuation, whereas the depression of the, key 88 sets the machine for power-driven actuation.

As hereinbefore stated, when the machine is" set for power-driven actuation, the depression of an ordinal numeral key 25 unlocks the ordinal lock 61 of the corresponding order. For this purpose each control bar 18 is provided with a series constituted of nine depending projections 92 which respectively correspond to the column of nine numeral keys 25 of the corresponding order of the machine. Each numeral key 25 is provided with a projection 93 located on the righthand side of its stem 26 and having a notch 94 which receives the corresponding projection 92 of the ordinal lock control bar when the key is in normal elevated position. On depression of the key for key-set actuation the shoulder above the notch 94 engages the control bar projection 92, so that the downward movement of the key causes the lower edge of the control bar to move toward the right of the machine, with the result that the depending connection 13 is also shifted toward the right of the machine (toward the left as viewed in Fig. 5) to throw the ordinal lock 61 of the order corresponding with the key to inoperative position, thereby permitting the universal actuator to effect a calculative movement of the column actuator corresponding with that order. As the key 25 moves downwardly the shoulder above the notch 94 is positioned beneath the projection 92, as shown in Fig. 5, thereby holding the key depressed in key-set position until released either by the universal release mechanism, or as hereinafter described. After the keys of the various selected orders have been set" as above described, the universal actuator mechanism may be operated either for a single actuation, as in additive calculation, or for as many repeated actuations as desired, when performing multiple stroke calculation.

When the desired calculative actuation has been completed, whether additive or multiple stroke. the several selected numeral keys 25 which have been set are restored to normal positions and the released column actuator locks of their respective orders are re-positioned for locking the column actuators. This accomplished by the universal lock release mechanism, or by changing to key-drive. Pivctally mounted on the transverse supporting bar 8| at the righthand side of the machine is a rocker arm the upper end of which is slotted to receive one of the grooves of the column actuator lock shift rod 10. A roller 96 projects rearwardly from said rocker arm 95 and normally enter a notch 91 in the clear key 00, with the result that the parts remain in normal, or key-set, positions. When the key 98 is depressed, its stem above the notch 81 forces the roller 96 and the upper end of the rocker arm 05 toward the right of the machine, so that the shift rod 18 is likewise moved toward the right, thereby, through the arms 15, shifting the connections 13 toward the right (toward the left as viewed in Fig. 5) to move all the locks 61 to their extreme releasing positions and the projections 92 away from the numeral keys which they have been holding down so that any set numeral keys are permitted to rise under the action of their springs to normal positions. When the "clear key 98 is released its spring return mechanism, corresponding to the spring return mechanism 20 of the numeral key, will restore it to normal position to reengage the notch 91 with the roller 96. This permits the springs 9| to throw all of the control bars 10 and their corresponding column actuator locks 61 back to locking positions. If desired, however, a resetting may be effected in the same columns that had a previous setting, by merely depressing the numeral keys representing the digits of the new setting, or where a cipher is desired, by operating the columnar release as hereinafter explained. The depression of a key releases any other key set in the same order.

There is also provided a columnar release mechanism employed for the individual column actuator locks 61, for example when it is desired to release either the column actuator lock of any selected column or to move the control bar I0 to its extreme releasing position, to release a numeral key 25 which has been previously set" in that column. This columnar release mechanism may be employed for correcting an error in the key setting of any column, and permits a new key setting to be made in any column, or for striking a cipher in any column, it a key has been previously set in that column without making it necessary to release the key setting in other columns, as would happen in an operation of the "clear" key 90. Referring especially to Fig. 4, each control bar 10 is provided at its extreme front end with a horizontal shoulder 89 on which rests the lower end of the key stem I00 of the small columnar release or "cipher key i0l. When said key ml is depressed, the shoulder 99 is moved downwardly to force the lower edge 0! the lock bar 10 toward the right of the machine, to release a numeral key 25 the shoulder of which is retained beneath a projection 02 of said control bar. Inasmuch as there are release or cipher keys l0l for each column, the setting of any individual column is subject to individual control and to resetting in any manner desired by the operator. When the finger is removed from a depressed key IN the parts will be restored to normal position by the springs 9i corresponding to the control bar 10 which has been shifted by said key IN to releasing position.

The setting of the machine for power-driven actuation unlocks the crank 56 for the operation of the universal actuator. When the crank U (It Um D 2 drive" key 30 is depressed, the movement or the shift rod I8 toward the right of the machine withdraws the lefthand end I02 of said rod from locking position in a hole or socket I01 in the disk 6| oi the main power or crank shaft 01, thus freeing the shaft 51 and crank 50 for movement. This construction also prevents setting of the machine from power-driven to key-driven actuation, except when crank 58 and disk ii are in their normal positions, since the movement of the disk away from normal also moves the hole I03 out of registry with the shift bar 10 and the, latter can not be operated by the key-drive" key 83 to release the column locks for key-driven operation of the actuating mechanism. When the disk BI is in normal position, the crank II and shaft 51 will be locked against operation by the setting of the machine for key-drive, since the end I02 oi the shift bar enters the hole III to prevent rotation of the disk 0|.

As hereinbei'ore stated, each complete rotation of the crank 56 produces first a clockwise movement and next a counter-clockwise movement of the shaft 40 and ordinal universal actuator plates ll. Those column actuators which have not been set for power-driven operation are locked against movement by their corresponding column locks 61, but, in the various orders in which key-setting has taken place, the respective column actuator arms 20 may move variably downwardly, in accordance with the digital value of their respective key-settings, until their motion is arrested by the digital control device hereinafter explained. The dual flexible link mechanism connecting the universal actuator plates with the column actuators in the several orders. permits the constant oscillatory motion of the plates ll in all orders, although column actuators have been set for relatively variable movements and in some orders, as required by the example to be performed, no setting of the column actuators may have taken place at all.

This operation is as follows: On the clockwise movement of a universal actuator plate 4|, the upper flexible link mechanism 42 pulls down with said plate ll the horizontal arm 29 of the corresponding column actuator, it said actuator has been previously set by the depression of a numeral key 25, There is no stretching or tensioning oi the spring 50 so long as the arm I! is moving downwardly, and, inasmuch as the stud 48 is traveling in the slot 48 of the ram of the lower flexible link mechanism 48, there is likewise no stretching or tensioning oi the spring ll. When, however, the downward movement 0! the column actuator arm 29 has been completed to effect the required incremental accumulation and said column actuator arm has been arrested by the digital stop device, the spring 50 will be stretched or tensioned proportionally with the remainder of the clockwise stroke of the universal actuator plate ll. During the counter-clockwise return stroke or the universal actuator plate I, the stud 49 travels freely in reverse direction in the slotted head of the ram 43 without tensioning the spring 44, and the pull on the spring 50 of the upper flexible link mechanism being released, the spring 50 retracts to lift up its ram 52 and also to restore the horizontal column actuator arm 29 to its normal elevated position.

If there has been no key-setting of a column actuator in any order of the machine, the horizontal arm 29 is held against movement by its corresponding column lock 61, and the tensioning of the spring 50 of the corresponding flexible link mechanism will commence at the beginning of the clockwise stroke of the universal actuator plate 4|, and the return movement of said plate 4| allow the tensioned spring to pull back its ram 52 into normal elevated position.

Pivotally mounted at I04 on the forward arm 38 of. the adding sector of each column actuator is a. digital stop bar, I05 which extends to the front of the machine and has its front end pivoted at I06 to the top of a rocker arm I01, the latter being pivoted on a cross-rod I08. The said bar I05 is provided with a series of eight stops or projections I09 respectively corresponding to the column of digital or numeral keys of its corresponding order, with the exception of the nine key and adapted to arrest the rearward movement of said bar I05 by the depression or setting of a key 25, (see Figs. 3 and 5). The nine key and the movement of the sector 33 corresponding thereto represents the extreme movement of said sector, and such movement is preferably arrested by a fixed stop I 09a attached to the framework, although, if desired, a further stop I09 for the nine key could be provided on the stop bar. The stops or projections I09 are located at different distances in front of the keys with which they respectively co-operate, the stop I09 corresponding to the 1 key being the nearest to said key and the stop corresponding to the 9 key being the farthest away. When a key 25 is actuated in key-driven actuation or set for powerdriven actuation, the adding sector 33 of the corresponding column may move downwardly until the bar I05 has shifted the corresponding stop into engagement with the key depressed, whereupon the movement of the sector 33 is arrested.

The motion of the adding sectors 33 of the column actuators is transmitted to the accumulator mechanism by ordinal internal ratchet mechanisms, which operate on the same principle as the internal ratchet mechanisms of the standard Comptometer type exemplified in the prior patents hereinbefore mentioned in my parent application, for permitting the numeral wheel and transmitting gearing of the accumulator mechanism to remain idle during the rearward downstroke of the corresponding adding sector 33, but to be actuated to effect the accumulation during the return stroke of said sector. For more complete description of the construction and operation of such mechanism reference is made to my parent application aforesaid.

The invention as hereinabove set forth may be variously embodied within the scope of. the claimshereinafter made.

I claim:

1. In a calculating machine, in combination: ordinal column actuators operable for both keydrlven and key-set operation; ordinal latches for respectively preventing actuation of the column actuators; ordinal keys for driving and for setting the actuators and which when operated during key-set operation release the latch in the corresponding order; and a manual control for concurrently throwing all said latches out of operation for key-driven operation.

2. The combination, in a calculating machine alternatively operable for key-driven actuation or key-set power-driven actuation, of a keyboard having keys operable for either mode of actuation, latch mechanism controlling the calculating operation in key-set power-driven actuation, and means, operable at will, for throwing such latch mechanism into or out of operation.

3. The combination, in a calculating machine alternatively operable for key-driven actuation or key-set universally driven actuation, of a keyboard having keys operable for either mode of actuation, latch mechanism controlling the calculating operation in key-set universallydriven actuation, and means, operable at will, for maintaining said latch mechanism out of operation during key-driven actuation.

4. The combination, in a calculating machine alternatively operable for key-driven actuation or key-set power-driven actuation, of amount keys operable for both modes of actuation, means for latching down the amount keys during key-set operation, and means, controlled by a depressible key, for throwing the latter means into and out of operation to condition the amount keys for either mode of actuation.

5. The combination, in a unitary key-driven and alternatively key-set power-driven calculator, of keys alternatively operable for either type of actuation, means, operable at will, for setting the machine for key-set actuation, ordinal column actuators co-operating with said keys, and locking devices controlled by said setting means for looking all the column actuators against calculative motion, and controlled individually by the keys for releasing column actuators in the orders determined by the keysetting.

6. In a combined key-driven and alternatively universally-driven calculating machine, in combination: ordinal amount keys; ordinal differentially movable actuating mechanism alternatively operable by key-driven or by key-set universally driven actuation for eiiectuating the digital degree of incremental accumulative movement of an accumulator determined by the amount-keys; and ordinal locking mechanism for locking the differentially movable actuating mechanism in each order against universal action until a key has been set in said order.

JOSEPH A. V. TURCK. 

